


Anomalous Days

by metamorcy



Category: Katekyou Hitman Reborn!
Genre: Alternate Universe, Arcobaleno - Freeform, M/M, Romance, Yaoi, boss!Tsuna
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-14
Updated: 2014-05-06
Packaged: 2017-12-11 21:24:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 17,454
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/803414
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/metamorcy/pseuds/metamorcy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Reborn never imagined that a simple screw up during a mission would lead him to the weirdest person he had ever meant. Now he just needs to make sure that this person doesn't learn about his identity while being in an eight years old body. Boss!Tsuna R27</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Reborn sneered angrily to himself as he rushed through the back alleys of the streets of Namimori, momentarily taking a quick peek backwards to search for his followers. He hadn't thought that a simple illness such as a cold, of all things that could affect him, would cause him to make a slip-up during a mission. It was an easy mistake, a mistake that anyone could make, but that simple overstep caused him to face a massive rain of bullets, and such an annoyance that was. He had plotted everything out, made sure to get the routines of the guards; everything and more that would be needed for his success. But it all failed in the end, his plan spoiled just by a simple sneeze. It was quite that simple.

He had used his tiny eight year old body, a special ability of his gained from being an Arcobaleno, to sneak into the mansion unnoticed by the guards of the mafia famiglia. After all, being small had its advantages when it came to such things. His mission was to assassinate the boss that had been apparently creating trouble for the man he had been hired by and, instead of success, he had screwed it up. Still, he wasn't worried that it would stain his record of being the best.

Reborn ducked behind a metal garbage bin to hide from the oncoming bullets that slammed into the back, pelting into the metal. The bin budged slightly at the force, but creaked back into its original spot soon after. It wasn't dark out yet, but there was no sun, the gray clouds covering everything in sight. His trusty gun was at his side like usual, ready to fire at the advancing crowd, and when there was a slight pause in the bullets, he popped out to shoot back. With his famous and perfect aim, he nailed eight of the men with eight bullets square in the forehead, dropping his followers immediately by half. He smirked as pride floated through him. Apparently, even when sick, he could still be his usual awesome self. Using that momentary pause as the remaining men tried to re-orientate themselves from the sudden drop of fighters, Reborn dashed out into the open to escape, knowing he had to get away as soon as possible.

Though he knew he could normally take care of his pursuers even with an eight years old body, he was already weakened enough with the sickness running rampage in his body and the added rain that was pelting down on him it wasn't helping either. He couldn't take any chances; a single mistake on his part could very well end his life today. And he knew that if he didn't get out of this weather soon, his condition would worsen and there was a high possibility that he might collapse somewhere to be carried off to an enemy's base. Well, if he was lucky enough to be left alive if he got caught. However, he'd rather die than get tortured by the enemy. Reborn growled as he jumped over a fence, his leather shoes landing into a puddle of water below, and almost slipped from the wet surface, his right foot turning inward. He caught himself at the last moment before any damage could be done and took a deep breath, his vision just beginning to blur from the effects of his sickness. His infamous fedora was completely soaked, the water dripping off the sides around his face, and his suit was heavy from the extra weight. His fingers was numb from the cold and his body was about to start shaking, shivering momentarily when a gust of wind blew through the ally.

Reborn knew from the symptoms he was experiencing that his condition was worsening. It wouldn't be long before his body forcefully collapsed on its own from exhaustion. 'Damn this sickness, I wouldn't be in this mess in the first place if I wasn't sick!' Mumbling some curses in Italian, he continued to run forward, dashing around people on the streets as quickly as possible, making sure to keep himself out of sight from his pursuers. He didn't want to be followed, not now. Reborn quickly calculated how long it would take to get back to his hideout by foot, but knew it would be too late at the rate his body was failing.

Wisps of air puffed before his face, disappearing within seconds and only to be replaced by another breath. It was cold, his body was freezing, and the rain wasn't making it any better. The gun that his fingers were gripping onto tightly was beginning to burn from the coldness and when he tried to switch hands, it was like the metal had glued itself to his skin, forcing him to tear it apart. It was so cold, almost like he was touching ice, and Reborn could already see the visible shake in his grip, his fingers going numb and pale in color. Still, he kept going, his eyes searching out for the best place to hide for a few hours and to allow his body to finally rest. But there was nothing, just empty places that looked too dangerous and open in his view.

As he made his way down another alley, he heard the sounds of yelling from behind, well aware that his followers were starting to catch up on him. Reborn cursed once more, wanting nothing more than to transform back into his original body to make his escape. But he knew better, transforming consumed large amounts of his energy, energy he couldn't afford to spare in his current state. Since the Arcobaleno were gifted with the ability to transform from their original ages backwards by ten years each and forward to their original age, it became pretty handy in fooling everyone they met. In the case of Reborn, whose age was twenty-eight, he could be an eighteen-year-old, or eight as he was now currently, and then one. He never questioned why one, but he decided it wasn't worth the thoughts. But of course, almost the entire mafia world was not aware of this ability, making him blend into his surroundings that much easier and using the age change as a disguise.

Reborn dodged around multiple buildings, making his way through the abandoned areas, while shooting back towards his enemies. He took a few more out, knowing he was doing quite well despite his condition. However, just as he was about to find some freedom from his chasers, he turned the corner to head into a street where he crashed straight into someone's legs. A small grunt escaped his lips as he was forced back, the collision strong enough to make his head spin but did not make him tumble to the ground. His vision spotted for a moment before clearing up, the rush of adrenaline fading from his body at his sudden stop. Reborn cursed again, without that rush that was keeping him going, his body was already shutting down. His black eyes peered up at the fool who had dared to get in his way, but quickly found out that he could no longer see as his vision suddenly blacked out, collapsing backwards towards the ground.

For a moment, he heard a concerned shout for him and then felt something warm wrapping around his tiny body. Reborn hoped that the next time he woke up, if he ever did, he wouldn't be strapped down with a gun barrel buried into his forehead. He could only hope.

* * *

Tsuna had wanted nothing more than to go for a simple walk out in his hometown. It had been a busy month for him and a break was needed to get some relaxation in-between before he decided that having a mental breakdown would be a better idea. The whole month had been mainly meetings with numerous outside famiglia, who were trying to gain an alliance with Vongola. That, of course, didn't include the allies that were trying to convince him to go along with something or make a deal. He had to handle each and every one carefully with either a critical glare or a calm expression. Some he agreed to, others he outright refused and gave his reasons as to why. And as usual, there were those fools that required some blackmail or corpses to keep them shut.

Tsuna was the Decimo of the infamous Vongola famiglia, the top group and the most powerful mafia famiglia in the underworld. However, despite everything, his face had been kept mostly hidden to the ever watchful eyes through the use of a single mask. Even when he met up with the bosses of other mafia groups, he made sure to cover his face with his infamous Vongola sky ring out and bring one of his guardians as proof that he was indeed the Vongola Decimo. His spiky brown hair was left uncovered and was quite obvious in helping to identify him. He didn't enjoy the whole mask idea, he despised it, but it was for the safety of his relationships, both with friends and family. He didn't care about his privacy or anything silly like that. It was for those that didn't know about his connection to the underworld, for their protection, since being so big meant trouble to them. Of course, there were a few bosses he pulled the mask down for, mainly his allies or those he trusted completely to keep his identity safe.

Originally, Tsuna hadn't wanted to be involved with the mafia, but in an effort to protect his dear mother from the darkness, he took up the cloak to become the official heir. It had been a tough battle to get to the top, destroying his competitors with his blood inherited abilities and rigorous training, but he made it. And ever since he took over, Vongola has been transformed for the better. His strong ideals of changing from the bloody history the mafia group once had to something better drew many people towards him, gaining plenty of close dear friends and allies that he knew deep within he could trust with his very life. His hyper intuition followed him closely on those thoughts, resonating within his soul as reassurance.

But he always loved retiring back to his mansion in Namimori, he couldn't help it, and he knew very well that it was mostly safe from outside famiglia through Hibari's commands. It didn't stop everyone, obviously, since there were plenty who wanted to test his cloud guardian's strength. But they all failed to succeed. Luckily for him, with Hibari always in the area, it made his protection much easier for his guardians. And better yet, he could do his paperwork in the mansion, having it shipped, emailed, or faxed over thanks to Gokudera, his right-hand man, and his amazing ability with technology. It made his life so much easier in a sense. Documents could be read through quickly and the ones that needed to be signed with his special sky flame would be shipped over or printed out. The technology left Tsuna with much more free time compared to the earlier days of his takeover, something he was very grateful for. This eventually led to him enjoying a stroll out in the rain for a break with a nice orange-colored umbrella over his head.

And to a child crashing against him.

Tsuna, though wasn't prepared for an attack, held himself steady and made a quick observation of his so-called attacker. He couldn't help but pause as he took in the sight of a small sick child, who, to him, looked like he was about to collapse at any second. His eyes drifted over the heavily flushed appearance to the ragged, soaked clothes. It was an appearance that stung his heart like no other. As he continued his observation, he took note that the child had most likely been running in his horrible weather for hours by the way the water had taken to the clothes. However, Tsuna froze when he saw the expensive gun in the boy's hands.

'Now where did he get that? Much less, why does he have that?' Tsuna temporarily thought for just a moment before the black-haired boy suddenly collapsed backwards. He made a quick shout, springing forward to catch the child before he hit the ground, and gave a tight hug around the fragile-looking boy. Tsuna sighed, he had dropped his umbrella by accident, now able to feel the ice-cold raindrops hitting against his head and shoulders, but it didn't matter. This boy was in a critical state and needed care immediately. His fingers brushed over the forehead, trying to feel for the fever, and just as he expected, it was scorching. 'Now, what to do? I guess I should bring him to the hospital.'

Lifting the unconscious boy into his arms, he managed to hook the body just right so he could get his umbrella to cover them both. However, as he was about to turn to see if he could find a taxi, some shouting behind him caught his attention, his intuition sounding off within as an alert. The brunet immediately tensed, his eyes narrowing in detest as he quickly released what was happening. 'So the boy is being followed.' His fingers touched the gun the child was holding and, with a little bit of force, managed to wedge it out of the cold grasp, finding it more than half loaded by the weight of it. With a quick maneuver with his fingers, he opened the bullet case to check the amount inside and smirked. He had six more bullets left in the twelve gauge, it was more than enough to take care of the men behind. Still, Tsuna didn't want to hang around for the pursuers to find him like it was on purpose and started making his way back home, seeing as a hospital was definitely out of the question.

"Hey, you!" One of the followers called out, bursting from the alleyway where the child had previously barreled out, gaining Tsuna's attention. The rest of the group was right behind, slowing down their pace as they stalked forward.

The brunet slowly turned around, throwing on an innocent act to leave him less suspicious. "Huh? Me? Do you need something?"

The other men peered at each other, believing Tsuna's act without a second thought. "That boy, give him to us."

"This boy?" His honey-colored eyes peered down at the said boy, wondering to himself what the child could have done to get himself into this much trouble. Tsuna recognized those garbs as a minor famiglia that had been causing some trouble in the past, but it wasn't enough to make him outright strike them out. Though, he had been hearing rumors of the group doing terrible things to their clients, quite literally backstabbing them. Still, his concern right now was the boy in his arms. "Ah, him. I just found him collapsed on the side of the road. I just couldn't possibly leave him there. Did he do something wrong? He's quite young-looking, he should probably be returned to his mother. She must be worried by now especially in this type of weather."

The men made a few mutters between each other before the leader of the group stepped forward. "Look, that boy is with us. We can…return him to his mother."

Tsuna almost wanted to laugh at the obvious giveaway, but kept his straight face. But this time, he looked at the group suspiciously, edging the boy closer to his chest. Regardless of the fact that the child might have done something wrong, like hell he was going to hand him over. "You know what…I think I'm going to turn him over to the police. I think he'll be…much safer there."

With those words, the men began to prowl closer, but Tsuna didn't back down. Not wanting to bother anymore with these idiots, he took the boy's weapon and fired consecutively without any sort of hesitation. A dark look of murder slipped inside his eyes, an orange hue radiating as swirls within the honey color. The shots were silenced from the gun and the bodies collapsed, leaving no one to get in Tsuna's way. The brunet made a small 'tch' in the back of his throat and began walking away. He would have to make sure to call Hibari to get someone to clean up the mess.

Now to deal with the boy…


	2. Chapter 2

Reborn twitched, his consciousness finally starting itself back up after the crash, but just barely. The hitman knew even before opening his eyes that he was exhausted, his body was aching all over, and he was slightly cold, shivering wherever he was. He suspected that he had been captured by the enemy - it was too obvious to not think so. After all, he knew very well it was nearly impossible for him to have gotten away and yet, he forced himself out of his induced sleep to face the trouble he had managed to land himself in. It was easier to do so now rather than later, there was only one pathway where he was heading.

But when he opened his eyes, he was only met with confusion. The place he had woken up in definitely didn't look like he was in prison or some sort of torture chamber. No, it was just a regular… bedroom? Reborn tried to sit up, only to collapse again, his breathing ragged. That was evidence enough that he had pushed his younger body to the limit during his run. Thinking back, he momentarily remembered seeing a person when he crashed. Perhaps the person had taken him away before his followers had found him? It was possible. Probably more likely than him actually getting back up and running away.

As his vision began to clear and the haze that had clouded his mind faded he took a good look at his surroundings. The bedroom was fancy yet plain at the same time. It had a chest drawer, an attached bathroom, and a table fastened to a wall. The bed he was sleeping on was about a queen in size, large compared to his child-like body, with thick bed sheets and covers that had been carefully tucked up to his neck. A nightstand was on each side with a clock on the right one stating the time as three in the afternoon. Reborn quickly calculated; he had been asleep for more than fifteen hours and despite that large amount of sleep, he still felt like shit.

A heavy cough slipped from his throat, forcing him to bend over to control it, and it was at that time that he noticed he was no longer in his usual clothes. Reborn almost felt like panicking, knowing very well that he had been stripped bare, before his mind cleared up. He was wearing something which was better than nothing at all. If he had been naked, there would have been hell to pay. He was thankful that his savior had at least thought about that. The clothing consisted of a simple over-sized white shirt with pants that were far too long for his feet, but they were better than nothing, keeping him warm despite his body's protests otherwise. They looked like something he'd possibly wear if he were around eighteen.

Just as Reborn was going to try and get up to explore his surroundings, the door to the bedroom opened. Immediately, the hitman tensed, ready for anything, but what he saw made him pause. There entering the room was a young-looking man with spiky shoulder-length brown hair that seemed to glow in the sunlight behind him. He also had the kindest looking eyes Reborn had ever seen. In the man's hands was a silver-colored tray, the contents unknown due to the angle, but he could make a guess that it was meant for him. The hitman quickly profiled the person as harmless in appearance, but he knew better. Looks could always be deceiving, him being a testament of that.

Tsuna peered up, making sure to balance everything so that he wouldn't make a fool of himself, and stared at the boy. He tensed slightly at the obscurity in the eyes. It was clear to him that the person before him had been in the dark world for a long time. Still thinking that Reborn was a child, he immediately pitied the boy, hoping that everything would be alright in the future. When it came to children, he was always adamant about protecting their innocence while it lasted despite knowing that sooner or later it would vanish due to the harshness of the world. He could only protect so much. Taking a deep breath, Tsuna stepped forward, giving a warm smile in hopes of disarming the child. "Ah, you're awake. How do you feel?"

The boy didn't answer and continued to stare which only resulted in him breaking out into another coughing fit.

The brunet quickly set the tray down onto the side of the bed, making sure that it wouldn't shift at any slight movement, before settling as well. "Do you need some water?"

Reborn seemed reluctant but nodded his head, watching as the person before him reached over to grab a glass that was on the tray. He observed everything, making sure not to miss a single move. The tray had some medication, an empty glass, a jug of ice water, and some packaged crackers. It was just some basic stuff. No food, nothing that would give him any thoughts that it had been drugged except for the meds. He could tell if there was something different in the water so he was confident enough on that subject.

Tsuna poured the water carefully, well aware of those watchful eyes. It made him feel nervous but he was used to it; he had experienced the same thing all too often in the past. As the water swished around in the clear glass, he handed it over. But Reborn couldn't grab it. The child's hands were only just able to curl around the container but his grasp was weak and almost let it slip through his fingers if Tsuna hadn't caught it. So the brunet had to provide a helping hand. The hitman was, of course, grumbling about his weakness, but let it slide knowing better than to do or say otherwise.

"So…" Tsuna started again, once he saw the boy getting enough to drink. "What's your name?"

Reborn paused at that; what was he supposed to say? Should he say his real name? No, he couldn't do that. That might give away his identity, but then again, it might not. He mentally nodded his head, for now it was best to lie. He could give out his real name later when he knew everything was safe. "Ryan."

Tsuna felt his institution resonating at that; the boy was lying to him. "Ryan?" Still, he didn't do anything and accepted the name. He figured the person was hiding something profound if he didn't want it to be found out through investigation. No matter, it was fine with Tsuna. He could deal with the fake name. "Ryan, then. Well, can you tell me how you currently feel?"

Reborn almost wanted to sigh at the stupidity of the question. "Sick."

"Sick? Well I already know that," Tsuna gave another disarming smile. "But I need to know your symptoms if I'm to treat you."

"What? Not going to ask anything else? Like why was I lying there? Why was I out in the rain in the first place?"

The brunet chuckled. "I doubt you would answer me if I asked you."

Reborn smirked, the man was smart. "Correct. But I don't need help; I'm fine on my own."

Tsuna just sighed at that response, scratching the back of his head. "Sure you don't, and yet you're still here sick as anything. Come on, get some more rest. You're welcome to stay here for as long as you need. There's some cold medication here which should help with your symptoms, but I'm not going to force you to take them since you're so paranoid already. And before I forget, I had to change your clothes," The brunet noticed the hitman looking down at himself. "They were completely soaked. I sent them out to be dry-cleaned for you so you'll get them when they return from the cleaners." The brunet stood up, placing his hands onto his hips, and peered down at the other with an almost twinkle in his eyes. "Now then, I have work to do so I'll see you later alright?"

The child almost wanted to blink in surprise, he was lucky. He hadn't been captured and was instead taken to an innocent's home to be taken care of. It was very kind of the brunet and Reborn knew he should say something for all that kindness. It would be wrong to not do so. "What's… your name?"

Pausing midway from the door, the brunet glanced back with a smile. "It's Tsuna. My real name is quite the mouthful so just say that. Ah, and before I forget," He pulled out the gun from within his jacket, knowing he had the other's eyes on him. "I guess I should give this back to you. I don't know how you got this and I won't ask, but just know that I did take the bullets out of it. A kid like yourself shouldn't have such weapons, much less, shouldn't have the need to protect yourself like this. Well, get some rest."

As he handed the gun back over, he saw a flash of gratefulness in those black eyes as the boy took hold of the weapon. It was almost like a possessive state and Reborn's fingers were clenching onto the weapon tightly. It didn't matter that it was empty, he could make the bullets appear into his hand, another special ability he had earned from being an Arcobaleno. However now Reborn knew he had to say something, the man deserved it after doing so much for a child.

"Thank you." Muttering those words, Reborn shifted back into the covers and turned away from the door, knowing he was embarrassed. He'd never liked saying it to anyone, never, not even to the boss of the Arcobaleno. He felt the person behind him paused at that and then chuckled, tossing a few words back in reply. Soon the door closed and Reborn was left alone in the room, he settled back into the comforting darkness. His throat was still sore from all of his coughing fits and his body was still shivering in its attempt to keep warm. His eyes turned to the tray where the medication was and, after an internal battle, decided that it wouldn't hurt to take some.

Tsuna had done nothing suspicious and Reborn sensed no lies within that soft voice. Reaching over to grab the bottle, Reborn examined the contents carefully before plucking the cap off for the pills within. Swallowing two with a glass of water, he shuffled back into the covers for some more sleep, knowing that he should start to feel better by the time he next awoke. His mind drifted off and he passed out in the soft bundle of sheets, for once feeling at peace.

* * *

Tsuna sighed, the boy had been more uptight than he originally thought, but he didn't think badly of it. 'He must have had a terrible childhood, perhaps?' Shaking his head, he went towards his office to finish off the rest of his paperwork, knowing it would be better to keep up with it than let it accumulate. But, for once, there wasn't much to do. The papers were mainly people asking for an alliance with or favors from Vongola. Some he agreed but most he declined. He knew better than to allow Vongola to associate with these… dirty groups - human trafficking, drugs, human experimenting, weapons, and much more.

Tsuna hated every one of them, especially the first one. He made sure he sent a message to everyone in the underworld that if he caught them doing such things, Vongola would come out and destroy them. No hesitation, no meeting, just outright murder and elimination of the group. It was harsh, he knew that, but he had long ago learnt that people just didn't listen with a small warning. His guardians held the same views as him and didn't hesitate to fulfill his desires, most knowing the horrors of the underworld firsthand. Tsuna almost wanted to laugh. Only when he was in the darkest part of the world was he able to do something the cops weren't able to.

Before long, it was almost eight at night and his stomach growled in its demand for food. Tsuna chuckled; he had been caught up in his work again, only taking small breaks now and then. Standing up, he stepped out of the office after making sure that everything was secured. He spared a glance towards the bedroom door where "Ryan" was before going down the stairs. He lived in this mansion by himself, a maid coming by once a week to clean the place, but he loved how quiet it was. It was different compared to the Vongola main base where it was always bustling with noise and people.

Entering the kitchen, he looked through the fully stocked refrigerator and grabbed a few ingredients along with the rest from the cabinets, creating some pasta for dinner. Just as he was about to turn on the water to start boiling it, his ears picked up the light sound of footsteps. They were soft, completely unnoticeable until his intuition started sounding. Peering back, he spotted Reborn standing there at the doorway, watching him intently. "Ah, you're awake," His honey-colored eyes examined the boy's appearance, smiling at the sight. "You look better."

The hitman strode closer. "Obviously. Are you cooking?" Reborn peered around him to get a better look of the food, wondering if he would be able to snag some before leaving. He couldn't stay here too long. It would be bad to involve an innocent in his problems and he still needed to take care of his mission soon to prevent any retaliation.

"Yeah, do you want some? You know what? I'm going to cook extra anyway. You look like you need a good hot meal in you," Tsuna chuckled, grabbing a few more stands of the pasta to cook, making sure to double everything. If he guessed right, the boy would most likely eat most of his portion. When Reborn didn't answer, Tsuna continued to cook and listened as the child sat down at the counter, watching him intently, but he didn't mind it at all. "So, Ryan, how old are you?"

"Eight."

"Eight? That's quite young. Shouldn't you be home with your family? I'm sure they're worried about you."

"Don't have any."

Tsuna paused. "Oh…" He peered back for a moment, letting the pasta cook. "Well, I guess I can offer my home out to you. You don't seem like a bad child." Moving around the kitchen island, he patted Reborn on the head fondly, the fedora left upstairs. His fingers threaded through the natural spiky black hair, finding himself fond of the silky sensation. "I guess you'll most likely leave in the morning when you feel better, yes?"

Reborn narrowed his eyes. The man was good at reading his actions, though not the best, but good enough to get through his defenses. "Obviously. I need to head back."

"I see, well, be safe then. Do you need some food to take with you? Perhaps something warmer to wear? Your clothes arrived an hour ago, but they don't look like they would protect you much from the weather here."

"I'm fine." The hitman couldn't help but think the other man as over-motherly. It wasn't hard to see it. The man's presence was nice and warm, and Reborn took it in with glee. He didn't mind being treated like a child either, he was, after all, in an eight year old's body. Of course, people would react this way.

Tsuna didn't say anything else and continued to work on the pasta, getting the sauce ready in another pan. As it finished, they made simple small talk, nothing major as Reborn refused to give any personal information about himself out to the man. He couldn't afford it. Though when dinner ended, the hitman couldn't help the small fluttering of warmth that filled him whenever the brunet smiled. Tsuna was just too warm and that kindness he held was something he had never met before, the underworld he lived in was far too cruel after all. Something like this was a wonderful change.


	3. Chapter 3

Reborn didn't understand why he had come back here of all places. He didn't want to but he had to admit he was curious about the man. He had left in the morning, once he felt better, but hadn't been able to escape Tsuna and complete his mission until the brunet had forced a packed lunch into his hands. Compared to before, his body had almost recovered, though he still had a few shivers here and there. His fever had broken sometime during the night and he felt like he could do anything, but he knew better. He had to take it easy or else he could simply fall sick again. Taking care of his target had been straightforward once he was well enough. He alerted his employer of his success before hanging up soon after. Despite completing the mission, he didn't have any place to stay and he needed somewhere to hide for a while. He couldn't afford to leave just yet, not when there were armed men running around looking for him.

Which brought him back to the brunet's place. The mansion Tsuna stayed in wasn't exactly fancy; it was large enough to contain a family of people, but small enough not to garner too much attention. It was gated, with cameras here and there and was heavily forested to prevent wandering eyes. There were no statues, nothing fancy to make it stand out in the front, just a flat yard with random patches of flowers. This told him that Tsuna was a simple man that liked things to feel homey. Reborn jumped over the gate with ease, making his way back to the front door. He would normally enter as he pleased but being forced out just because he broke in would put a damper on his plans. Still, his curiosity about the brunet was strong. The man was unusual after all.

Ringing the doorbell, he waited for the response while his eyes glanced around the surroundings some more. His sharp ears picked up the sounds of footsteps and then the clicking of the lock. The door opened and a familiar head poked out, looking down at him.

Tsuna blinked, he hadn't been expecting the other to actually return and so soon either. The boy looked like he wanted to leave and he respected that, but to come back… Now that was odd, still, it wasn't unwelcome. "Ah, hello Ryan."

'Ah, that's right. I gave him a fake name.' Reborn wiggled his nose and nodded, tilting his fedora downwards in greeting. "Chaos, Tsuna."

The brunet sighed, not enjoying the lack of response from the boy, but stepped aside to let him in. "You're back sooner than I thought. Or are you hiding from someone?"

The hitman snapped his eyes up at that from below his fedora, refusing to give himself away. He couldn't let anyone know about his profession much less his identity. "No, I'm just tired and need somewhere to rest."

Tsuna felt the other lying, it was hard to tell with this one, but he was familiar with people trying to hide the truth. Regardless, he went along with it. Locking the door behind him he walked towards the kitchen, wanting to start on dinner since it was beginning to get late into the night. He had been hoping to go out but it looked like his plans had been tossed out the window before they even happened. "Are you hungry? I'm about to cook dinner."

"Yeah, I'll have something to eat."

The brunet smiled at that and went into the kitchen, quickly pulling out ingredients to start the meal. He wanted to make something more complex, perhaps some… Wait, this was a child he was cooking for… Perhaps he should cook something simpler and more suitable to an eight years old boy's taste. Then again, Ryan hadn't complained about the food last time. Shrugging his shoulders, he went back to his previous dish: chicken piccata.

"Ah, remember the room you were sleeping in before?" Tsuna glanced over as he allowed the chicken to cook in the pan with the mixture of flour, salt and pepper. He got a nod in return and smiled. "You're welcome to use that room again. I haven't changed the sheets yet so it might look a little messy from when you used it."

Reborn lifted his fedora off his head, letting his usual spiky hair fling out. "Thanks. I'm quite amazed you would allow a stranger such as me to come into the house like this without asking any questions."

The brunet chuckled. "I do that a lot. I mean, if you're not here to harm me, then what do I need to be afraid of?"

The hitman blinked, it was true. He wasn't here to hurt Tsuna at all. He had just wanted a place to stay until things cooled down - nothing more, nothing less. Still, it was odd how easily he slipped into the brunet homey pace. The man was overly friendly and overly welcoming, it was too much, and yet, just nice.

Still, despite all of his thoughts, the brunet did know how to cook a great meal.

* * *

Tsuna had found this "Ryan" quite adorable at how suspicious and defensive he got at times. It had its annoying moments but the child easily went along with things afterwards, never minding one thing or another. Going to bed had been simple, easier than Tsuna expected. He remembered a time long ago that his lightning guardian, Lambo, who was the youngest of the group, would always make a fuss about going to bed early. Ah, his friends and family, he would need to call them soon to see how they were doing and perhaps invite them over, too. He missed them being here, but he certainly didn't miss the chaos they brought with them.

In the morning, Tsuna had completely expected the child to leave early and never came back again, but instead Reborn had stayed. Tsuna had been a little surprised as he peered at his clock, seeing that it was eight in the morning, and glanced back at the bedroom door the little hitman lay behind. The Vongola boss had managed to finish off a large load of his work and was just about to make some breakfast, but he wanted to check if his guest wanted some as well. It would be rude not to ask. Besides, the child looked like he needed a good home-cooked meal and some rest. Gently knocking on the door he slowly opened it, poking his head in;.

'Ah, still in bed, I see.' Tsuna chuckled quietly to himself and stepped further into the room, making sure to keep his footsteps quiet, his presence was almost unnoticeable. He stopped right in front of the child, watching him sleep peacefully for a few moments. He took that time to better observe the adolescent, who oddly didn't act like an adolescent. If anything, Ryan acted much older than his real age. But whatever, perhaps he had been forced to grow up sooner than expected? It wasn't uncommon after all.

Settling onto the side of the bed, he reached over to thread his fingers through the soft hair. The spikes were easy to pass through and the boy twitched for a second before relaxing into the touch, still completely out. The brunet continued his massage, lightly patting the boy on the head, until Reborn began to stir.

At first, the hitman was completely content, feeling at peace, until he realized that there was someone touching his hair. Reborn had almost snapped himself up to attack until he took a moment to get a better grasp on the situation. He knew from all his years as a hitman that it was better to know what he was getting into before doing something completely stupid, and that was what he did. 'Is Tsuna stroking my hair? Why?' It was odd, but not unwelcome and he rotated his body slightly to get a better look at the older man, his black eyes opened. The two stared at each other and Tsuna just gave a warm smile.

"Good morning, sleepyhead."

Reborn stared some more, he clearly hadn't been expecting such a greeting. Years of being in the underworld had made him lose what would be considered warm. "What are you doing?"

"Waking you up. I wanted to see if you would like some breakfast."

"Breakfast? Oh," The hitman slowly sat up to get a better look over everything and sighed. "Sure, thank you."

Tsuna still stroked the hair, well aware that Reborn was leaning against his fingers, and didn't quite want to pull away just yet. The way the child was acting was just too adorable. Still, he couldn't sit here forever and eventually pulled away with a soft smile. "I'll get started on breakfast. See you downstairs." He stood up and began to make his way towards the door. Just as he was about to open it, he peered back for a moment and smiled before finally moving on. Reborn simply sat there, unsure what to do next, and eventually pushed the covers off him. It was breakfast time after all and he refused to miss a good meal.

* * *

"Are you leaving again?"

Reborn snapped his head up, his fingers gripping onto the doorknob. He hadn't been expecting that he would be caught on his way out, but it seemed the brunet had a sharp sense of what was going on around the house. Anywhere he tried to go, Tsuna knew right away. After eating breakfast, Reborn had taken a long shower to clean himself off, enjoying the hot water scorching his skin. The steam quickly filled the room; it was great compared to the cold air. Afterwards, he had wandered about the place, trying to find out more about the brunet, but there was nothing much he could work with. Besides the bedroom and study that belonged to his host, he had ventured through everywhere he could. Despite his search, there were no personal photos, no items that would help him identify more about Tsuna's past and present life - nothing.

Still, as much as he wanted to stay at the place, he needed to make sure that his tracks were covered and wouldn't cause any trouble for the kind man who had helped him. Reborn peered back towards the brunet who was slowly making his way down the stairs, his footsteps silent against the marble floor. The hitman almost wanted to sigh, releasing his hold on the door, and took another step outside. The cold air breezed past him and he peered outside towards the trees that prevented him from seeing the streets on the other side. This mansion was really isolated from the rest of the world and it was nice. Everything was just so peaceful and relaxing. It wasn't exactly the type of place he would enjoy but it was wonderful to have this feeling every now and then.

Tsuna kept moving closer, his eyes watching over the raven, and wondered what was going to happen next. "Ryan?"

The hitman sighed and leant against the door frame. Reaching up, he flicked his fedora upwards to allow his dark eyes to examine the brunet. For some odd reason, he enjoyed seeing the concern and worry within those eyes and knew it was being directed only at him. It was amusing to see. "I'll be back."

With those three words Tsuna relaxed, his shoulders slumping down in relief and he stopped moving. "I see. That's good to hear," He gave a soft smile and peered straight into those dark eyes. "Well then, before you leave, would you like to take some packed lunch with you? Or some snacks? Maybe an extra jacket for protection against the cold?"

Reborn shook his head, amused by the motherly affection the brunet gave him. 'He must have raised some children before or at least some siblings. He looks too young to be a father just yet.' He closed the door slightly to alert the other of his intentions. "No, I'm fine. I'll be back again later when I start to feel hungry. I must thank you for your hospitality though."

Tsuna chuckled at that and stepped closer, kneeling down to the hitman's level to show him respect. He was beginning to figure out the tiny boy, it was clear to him that this 'Ryan' was much older than he appeared, or at least more knowledgeable than the average child. "It's nothing. My place is open to you anytime. If I'm not here, you're welcome to break in, though I might not recommend it due to the security I have installed."

The hitman almost wanted to laugh at that. "I doubt your security system could stop me."

"We shall see. Just don't destroy anything, alright? I'd rather not have to cover the damage."

Tilting his fedora downward in amusement, he chuckled. "I can't always promise that."

Tsuna shook his head, standing back up, and placed his hands onto his hips. "If you damage anything, I'll start charging you. And if you don't have any money, I'll make you work it off by cleaning this entire mansion. That'll be punishment enough for you and no stealing either. I don't accept such dirty money."

"You really are a strange person," Reborn retorted, stepping further into the garden and took one last glance back. "I'll come back sooner or later today. See you, Tsuna."

"Ah, take care."

'Definitely have to come back,' The hitman almost wanted to break out into a smile, but refused, shaking his head to continue down the path. 'I think I just might like it here.'


	4. Chapter 4

"Juudaime! Welcome back!" Tsuna peered up at his right-hand man, Gokudera, and nodded sharply in greeting. The silver-haired man grinned widely before rushing forward, his eyes drifting over his beloved boss happily. The brunet couldn't help but chuckle at his friend's antics and he reached over to give Gokudera a hug; their customary second greeting. "Has everything been fine for you?"

"Yes, it's been perfect." Tsuna continued down the hallway, making sure that his mask was on correctly. Though he didn't really need it in this part of the Vongola Mansion, he needed to play it safe for now. There was no telling if a spy had snuck in or if someone was watching through one of the windows. He was dressed in his usual tailored black suit with his typical orange undershirt. A long black cape with a red underside was hooked around his shoulders as well, fluttering behind him and Gokudera as they walked. Chains were hooked to his pants and his Vongola Gloves adorned his hands; he was ready to go at any moment. The Vongola Sky Ring rested on his middle finger, uncovered for the world to see, proof that he was indeed the boss of Vongola.

Gokudera, his right-hand man and storm guardian, was one of his best friends and would run the mansion whenever he was absent. Along with his other Guardians, Gokudera and Tsuna had become close during their teenage years. It was through that strong bond they shared that enabled them to defeat their adversaries and make their way up to their current point. Together they had destroyed Vongola from the inside out and pieced it back together to reflect what Primo, the first boss of Vongola, had originally intended it to be. Now Vongola was thriving more so than ever before, its power spreading to the rest of the world. No one dared to go against their famiglia, everyone wanted to be on their good side in an effort to prevent their own from falling into the abyss.

Once Tsuna reached his office and accompanied Gokudera inside, he closed the door behind them. Yamamoto, his rain guardian, was already inside. He was sitting on the couch, smiling at his two friends. "Yo, Tsuna!" The black-haired man stood up and encompassed the brunet in a warm hug. Gokudera looked like he was about to say something but he held back, wiggling his nose instead. "I'm glad to see you're back. Next time you head to Japan make sure to take me with you. I want to see my old man soon."

"I have no issue with that. I saw him when I went to buy some sushi, he's doing very well. He misses you, you know?" Tsuna reached up to yank his mask off; finally free from its confines. His eyes trailed over his left-hand man and other best friend as he chuckled. He watched as his rain guardian rubbed the back of his head, muttering under his breath as he thought back to the man who raised him. Tsuna smiled and continued, "Anyway, back on topic, I met a cute little child in Japan. Apparently, he was being chased by a nasty famiglia for some reason, but don't worry, I took care of it. They were quite easy, never suspecting who I was. As for why they were chasing the child, I'm afraid I could never get the reason out of the boy."

"Ah, that incident." Gokudera nodded his head, having been informed about the cleanup. He knew his beloved boss didn't enjoy killing anyone and liked to avoid such happenings, but when it came to children Tsuna didn't hold back. It was the part Gokudera liked about his boss the most; his desire to protect the innocent.

"Yeah, well, I ended up saving said child and taking him in. And although I don't exactly know what it is, I know he's hiding something important. Still, my intuition isn't going off so it's safe for now." The brunet moved around his desk and sat down, peering over some of the paperwork stacked there. Opening the drawers for a pen, he began signing. He hoped that the child wouldn't return to the mansion while he was gone, it would be terrible if the alarms went off or if Ryan was left outside for the night. Shaking his head, he carried on. "Well, what are the plans for today?"

Gokudera stepped forward, getting himself back into his right-hand man attitude. "Today we're going to interview some assassins. The invites were sent out two days ago, while you were in Japan. This will prevent any assassination attempts from them and will give most of the men a minimal amount of time to head out here after receiving the invite. We're trying to get you your personal assassin to help out around Vongola since it's clear that we can't keep sending the guardians and Varia to do personal requests all the time. With the other jobs that also need doing we are unable to keep up."

Yamamoto laughed nervously and nodded his head. "I agree. It does get hard after a while when there's so much to do."

"The only issue is finding an assassin who isn't already with another famiglia and isn't here to get close to me for information or a betrayal." Tsuna sighed, raising a hand to rub his forehead. The whole mafia world was curious about his identity and people were willing to pay big bucks to find out as much as they could about him. He couldn't blame them though, considering that he hid his identity from everyone except a few close acquaintances and the head bosses of allied famiglia. He was waiting for the right moment to reveal his identity, the time when revealing it wouldn't cause any backlash in his relationships. He continued to sign his papers, trying to finish everything as quickly as possible before needing to meet with the assassins. "What time is the appointment?"

"It's in one hour, Tsuna," Yamamoto informed him. "And we'll be going with you for safety precautions. We have guards already set up as well."

"Good. Well, let me try and finish this as quickly as possible then. Oh, and Gokudera, could you please get me something to eat? And maybe some coffee? The plane ride here exhausted me and I'm still a little wiped out."

"No problem, Juudaime!"

* * *

Reborn peered up at the Vongola mansion with curiosity, tilting his fedora to the side as a shade from the sun that was beaming down on his adult body. His eyes trailed over the rest of the area, keeping a lookout for anything suspicious before turning his attention back to the front. This wasn't his first time entering the grounds, but that had merely been to accept a job and he hadn't met very many people. When he entered last time the security had been extremely tight, heavy enough that even he would have a hard time bypassing it. However, since he had clearance, he was directed straight to a lounge to acquire the details for his job. That was how it had always been with Vongola; never further than the lounge. Despite his well-known name of being the number one hitman in the world, unlike the rest of the mafia they had never once tried to bribe him into joining their group. It was a welcomed change.

Nevertheless, today was different; he had come for a singular reason. Today, he, along with several others, were going to meet Vongola Decimo himself with the possibility of being picked as his personal assassin. It was dangerous this way, Reborn knew, but Decimo probably had no choice bar taking the risk. The invite had only been delivered to him just 23 hours ago through his email, forcing him to catch the first flight over to Italy in order to make the event in time. He wouldn't miss this for the world.

He looked over his reflection in the reflection of the car door, double checking that everything was in order. His tall, imposing form was as neat and organized as always. He had transformed back into an adult, wanting to make a good impression and knowing he couldn't make much of one if he was in a younger body. No one would take an eight-year-old seriously much less a teenager, but that was the best thing about those forms after all. That and he didn't want anyone other than those he trusted explicitly to know about his other forms. It made them quite useful for undercover missions.

He noticed a few familiar faces among the small crowd of assassins entering the building. Many of those who recognized him backed away instantly, well aware of his killing abilities, while others respected him. Reborn huffed, continuing to make his way to the front of the mansion and immediately stated his name and purpose to the guard. The man standing there looked at him momentarily as if determining whether or not he was telling the truth before nodding his head and stepping aside. Reborn smirked, already knowing he had everyone's attention from simply stating his name, and made his way in through the front entrance. The rest of the assassins were right behind, going through the same process as him. As he stepped into the familiar entranceway, he peered up at the giant chandelier that was hanging in the middle of a ceiling painted with old, Italian images of Greek men and gods. Whoever had designed the place definitely had taste. Nothing was overly elegant nor so underdeveloped, it was just perfect.

Soon, he spotted a man stepping down a hallway, looking quite important compared to everyone else. He narrowed his eyes as he recognized the person as the right-hand man of Vongola Decimo, Gokudera Hayato. The silver-haired man stopped just before the entire group of assassins, around twenty in total, and respectfully nodded his head towards the assembly. "Thank you for coming. This way, if you please."

Everyone did as they were told, heading deeper into the mansion. Reborn kept one hand within his pocket as he walked, observing his surroundings carefully. 'Video surveillance, lots of it too.' As they moved down the pathway, they eventually came up to an imposing set of large wooden doors. Reborn continued walking and entered the waiting room without an ounce of fear on his features. There was nothing to fear after all, he was here upon request, just like everyone else.

Behind the doors was a large meeting room with a circular table in the center. Such a table was used so that each person sat at it would be visible at any position. This created a fair chance for everyone and encouraged composed meetings. At one part of the table were three chairs that were different than the rest, probably for the head boss and his right and left-hand men. Everyone began to settle into random seats, peering at each other curiously, but no one spoke as they listened to their surroundings. Gokudera went around the room carefully, obviously on guard, and stopped at one of the three chairs. He didn't sit down and instead bowed to everyone as a show of continued respect. It was then that Reborn could hear footsteps, soft footsteps, making their way down the hallway behind the room. The doors they had entered from closed, and another set on the opposite side of the room opened, revealing the head boss of the entire Vongola famiglia, Vongola Decimo.

Tsuna carefully peered over everyone through his mask, his eyes immediately picking out those that would be a danger to watch out for. Yamamoto was at his side with his weapon strapped to his back and was grinning like usual. Slowly, the brunet made his way in, heading straight towards the seat that belonged to him. However, just before he reached it, he stopped and looked over the entire group once more, clearly about to make an announcement. "Welcome to Vongola Mansion, I am Vongola Decimo."

A few mutters of gratefulness went around while others just kept quiet.

"As you may know, you've all been chosen for a chance of becoming my personal assassin. Many of you come from different famiglias and others are freelancers. If you're not here for the position, I suggest you leave. However, please note that I will choose carefully. There is no doubt that Vongola has plenty of enemies." Tsuna nodded towards the men and sat down in the middle seat, straightening out his cape so that it wouldn't get in the way. His suit was fine-pressed and there was no show of weakness within his body movements. His guardians followed right behind, keeping calm despite the numerous presences.

It was then that Tsuna caught sight of a familiar looking face. He tilted his head slightly in curiosity and narrowed his eyebrows behind the mask, focusing. He was picking out the features carefully, trying to pinpoint where they belonged. Reborn flicked his fedora to the side, noticing the stare directed at him, and couldn't help but be inquisitive. It was strange after all. Perhaps it was something to do with his looks or status? It wasn't that uncommon to be dumbfounded by what they were seeing.

"Excuse me," Tsuna called out, his honey-colored eyes trained on the number one hitman in the world. People went quiet, listening in, while others were interested as to whom Tsuna was speaking to considering this type of meeting. It was hard to tell exactly when the brunet wasn't pointing to anyone. "I'm afraid I don't know your name, the one with the curly sideburns. Who are you?"

'So he is talking about me.' Reborn huffed to himself as he reached up, twisting one of his curls. He kept silent for a few seconds to drag on the suspense, knowing very well everyone's attention had been immediately directed towards him. "It's Reborn."

A few whispers erupted at the name, all recognizing exactly who Reborn was. Others tensed in defeat, knowing it would be hard to compete with the man's ability. The only thing that was preventing them from running away was the fact that Reborn had never allied himself to a specific famiglia and was known for denying requests just because he didn't like them or didn't feel like taking it. Reborn was a loner and extremely paranoid when it came to interacting with other people. It was one of the many reasons why he never allied with a single family, though at the same time it has helped him stay alive and on his toes.

Tsuna narrowed his eyebrows further. That way of speaking, that attitude, those curls and clothes, it was too similar to Ryan. "I see. Then Reborn, do you have a sibling by any chance?"

Now _that_ threw the hitman off. He hadn't expected Tsuna to actually ask such a question; it was far from his list of ideas. Still, he replied without missing a beat. "No, I don't have a younger sibling. Why? Did someone decide to dress up like me?" He smirked, showing his arrogance towards everyone, making sure that no one else dared to venture any further into this topic.

"Something like that. I thought I saw someone that looked like a… younger version of you."

"Oh? Younger version of me?" Reborn smirked. 'He must have seen me when I had shifted my form. It's not uncommon for people to be a little confused.'

Tsuna didn't go any further into the topic and instead glanced towards his right-hand man. It was a signal to get the meeting started and that was what Gokudera did. The silver-haired man went over the details relating to the selecting process while Tsuna sat back against his chair, remaining quiet to observe. His eyes would drift curiously back to Reborn every now and then before going to the other assassins, both male and female, within the room. His mind was already checking off those who wouldn't work immediately or those who were allied with enemy groups.

No matter how much time had passed, he couldn't find a suitable person that would work with him and Vongola. It wasn't all of them of course, but there just wasn't any information he could base his decision on besides his intuition. Sighing silently to himself, he stood up, knowing that all eyes were resting on him. "I believe it might be best to postpone this meeting until a later date since I have another meeting that I need to prepare for quite soon. Gokudera has already informed you of all the information you need to know at this point in time. Any questions you have, please direct them towards Gokudera and Yamamoto. Thank you." Not saying anything much afterwards, he made his way out of the room and into the many hallways that were within the mansion. Despite everything, his mind was still on the raven-haired man.

'Ryan. Could it be that…you're related to t _he_ Reborn? Or is it that you _are_ him...' Tsuna walked towards his office and closed the door behind him, knowing he was safe within this area. Taking off his mask, he tossed it over to his desk and flopped down onto one of his couches to relax. His mind was wandering once more, thinking back on those features. 'The best way to know is to ask directly. My intuition would know if he was lying immediately but I didn't sense anything when I asked about him having a younger sibling. So there's so way Ryan could be related... That leaves the other option.'


	5. Chapter 5

As soon as the meeting was finished and the paperwork he needed to do was done, Tsuna found himself quickly heading back onto a plane for his mansion in Namimori. His closest friends and guardians immediately asked why he wanted to go back and so soon, considering he had only been around the main Vongola base for a small handful of days. He didn't blame them for asking though, he normally tried to spend as much time as possible with all of them to make up for his absence. It was a hard decision, but his intuition kept telling him that it was the right thing to do, that he needed to head back.

" _There's a child I met in Namimori," Tsuna started, gaining the attention of everyone in the room as he sat at the front of the dinning table. His surroundings were over decorated yet done so in a way to complement the furniture. His friends and guardians sat beside him, listening to every word even if they didn't look like it. "He's really young so I don't want to leave him by himself for too long. That's why I want to go back just in case I need to help him out of any sticky situations."_

_Many of those who knew him personally softened up, Lambo being one of them. The lightning guardian had been one of those who had been abandoned by his family only to be taken in by Tsuna. Gokudera grumbled under his breath, rubbing the back of his head, and just nodded in approval, understanding right away there was no way he would be able to convince Tsuna otherwise. He had been following his beloved boss for many years now and knew that this was one of the many traits that he adored. Yamamoto just chuckled, finding it adorable that Tsuna acted more like a father or sibling to everyone around him. It really was like they were one large family despite being from different groups._

" _Don't worry, Hibari will be nearby like always and you guys can visit me anytime you want. Just give me a call in advance so that I can prepare, alright?" Tsuna gave another smile, using it to instantly disarm everyone around him._

The brunet chuckled as he looked out the window, finding it funny how everyone easily conformed to his wishes despite their original intentions. Well, when it came to something he had talked about, it was obvious everyone would agree. There were of course some questions about the boy; whether it'd be safe or not, if Tsuna could trust him, would he manage okay, and many others. He simply replied with a 'don't worry, he's not a bad child. If he was, my intuition would have told me so already' that left them all silent.

Humming gently to himself, he returned his attention towards Japan, wondering if Ryan had attempted to break into his place yet. He flagged down a flight attendant to get him some water, enjoying the noiselessness of the plane considering he was the only passenger. As much as he loved others to be around him, he could do without the madness of the normal passengers. Tsuna glanced out the window towards the blue sky that was slightly covered by white clouds. 'Maybe I should give Ryan the keys to my place. Hmm, not yet. Later, when I'm certain of a few other things.'

He wasn't aware that on another plane, Reborn was also heading back, but was an hour behind because of a delay in departure. He was interested in the brunet he had met there, curious about the man's true identity. It was one of the top mysteries of the mafia world, everyone wanted nothing more than to destroy the mask and see who was underneath. He was still in his twenty-eight year old form, ignoring the flirting and suggestive looks of the other passengers and flight attendants he had to share his flight with. It was going to be a long trip from Italy to Japan, but that was fine. He didn't care how he got to the rising sun country as long as he did so. His interest in the brunet just continued to pester him even after leaving the Vongola mansion, bothering him endlessly, almost to the point of tormenting. 'Tsuna, huh? You'd better be there when I get back.'

With a sinister grin, he ignored the other passengers who suddenly backed away the second they saw his evil look. They shivered, wondering which poor soul would be on the receiving end of that.

* * *

Tsuna wasn't at the mansion.

Reborn silently grumbled from outside the gates, able to tell immediately even before entering the grounds. 'So the brunet hadn't come home yet.' He pulled down his fedora at the thought and leaned against the fence with his arms crossed. There were no lights, nothing that would indicate that someone was home despite it already being night time. The hitman shuffled his feet gently against the metal fence, remaining in his adult form in order to make it easier to travel around. He didn't want any trouble in trying to pay for a cab in his younger form, it was too suspicious. 'Guess I'd better wander for a bit. I think I saw a bar not too far away from here. A nice drink might do me some good.'

Flicking his fedora at the edge, he pulled away from the fence and slowly made his way through the area. The streets weren't all that crowded, a few cars passing by here and there, but no one, other than a few girls, seemed to throw him a glance. It was fine, he'd rather it be peaceful than be constantly bothered. Even he could only be so patient after all. Within minutes, he saw the opening sign of the bar and took notice of the surroundings. It was slightly isolated, but not completely as it was against the main road. The building was nicely decorated, simple, but perfect for what it was intended. A low hum of music was heard from inside and Reborn opened the entry door, hearing the bell on top ring at his entrance. His eyes glanced around the room, observing his surroundings by habit, and took in the occupants of the building's attire. Most of them were men who had just gotten off work, with a mixture of those who were trying to escape reality, and people like him, just wanting to get a drink to kill time. Reborn chuckled silently, seeing hardly any women in the area, and tilted his fedora downward as he made his way to the front bar to order his drink.

However, just as he was just a foot away, he spotted a familiar person at the end of the bar. He was sitting there with a glass half full of something golden that was slowly being depleted. Reborn stopped to stare, his mind going blank for a second before smirking. Looks like he had found who he was looking for. Heading towards the bartender, he ordered his drink and his companion's before heading over with two glasses in his hands.

"Here."

Tsuna snapped his head up, peering up at the man who had suddenly placed a drink onto the counter top before his very eyes. His own was already empty, simply sitting there as his mind drifted off into space. He blinked, his eyes adjusting to the darkness of the room before nearly gaping his mouth open. He knew that person. It was Reborn, the number one hitman. 'Shit!' Still, the brunet kept his calm, swallowing nervously, and gave a warm smile to prevent suspicion. "Hello." And to think he had come here to kill time and relax from his duties.

Reborn smirked at the reaction, wondering what the other could be thinking about, before settling down into the seat beside the brunet. He could tell that the other was nervous all around, unsure of his intentions. Reborn took a soft sip of the whiskey in his right hand. "You looked lonely there so I thought another drink would make you feel just a little better." He placed his container down and leaned back against his seat, flicking the edge of his fedora upwards as he met the younger adult eye to eye. "Don't worry, it's on me."

"O-Oh, thanks." Tsuna glanced towards the offered glass and took it into his hand, knowing it was a strong liquor of some kind. He didn't sense anything ill-intended from the hitman and pressed his lips against the edge of the glass, testing the liquid. Rum, the strong kind. It burned as it ran down his throat and he coughed at the texture. He hadn't expected that.

"A little too strong for you?" Reborn chuckled, taking another sip. He was almost done with his glass.

"A little, but I think I can handle it," Tsuna felt himself relaxing just slightly. The hitman wasn't here for him, it was obvious they had just met by mistake and it was clear that the other was trying to hit on him. He really hadn't expected his day to go like this, not at all. He had heard how women and men just fell at Reborn's charms and he could definitely see why. The hitman had some of the best looks he had ever witnessed and the other certainly knew how to use them. Tsuna took another sip of his drink, only feeling a slight burn this time. He was growing used to it the more he drank, smacking his lips gently. "What is this?"

Reborn downed the rest of his drink and motioned the bartender to come for another order. "It's Prichards' Fine Rum. I thought you might like it. Perhaps I was wrong?" He whispered a few words to the bartender and passed a few bills, paying for his next drink. The hitman turned back to the other and smirked. "Was I?"

Automatically, the Vongola boss shook his head. He was being pulled along, he knew, but didn't resist it. "A little, but I'll get used to it," Tsuna downed the rest of his drink, swallowing it whole and slammed the glass against the counter. He held an arrogant smirk, almost like he was asking for more. "But if you're worried I can't keep up, don't. I know how to drink." Tsuna smiled pleasantly as if hiding the dark undertone of his voice. "Anyway, I'm Tsuna."

"Reborn."

Tsuna momentarily frowned, but it was gone the next. If anyone told him that he would start drinking with the number one hitman, he would have called them a liar, but here he was. 'I can't let the other figure out that I know about him. If I play everything right, it'll just be like we're going out for a drink.' He shuffled in his seat, glancing behind him at the crowd before back at the older male. "So what brings you to Japan? You're obviously a foreigner."

"Pleasure. I'm taking a few days off from work and wanted to relax for a while," Reborn tilted his head, reaching up to twirl one of his signature curls. He pulled down gently before releasing, letting the piece of hair spring back up into place. "And then I stumbled across you. I'm hoping you're willing to be my drinking partner for the night."

The brunet smiled softly, finding some truth in those words, but not completely. At least he was certain that the man wasn't here for him. That was really all that mattered. "Drinking partner, huh? Well, I don't mind. I'm quite honored that you would purposely search me out for something like this. I'm certain that there are plenty of others to enjoy your time with and certainly ones you could just as easily sleep with."

"That's true," Reborn glanced over towards the bartender who had come back with his drink as well as another. It was Ron Zacapa 23, another expensive brand. He pushed the second glass towards the brunet, obviously offering it. "But I wanted someone a little more stable and more willing to have fun. Those I want to sleep with get drunk too fast for my standards. Though, if you want a partner for bed, I'm more than willing to offer myself up. A good-looking person like yourself shouldn't have such a hard time picking someone for the night."

Almost instantly, Tsuna blushed bright red, and took the glass into his hand. He didn't even ask for the type or name of the drink and just gulped it down in hopes of pushing the rapidly forming thoughts out of his head. Reborn was flirting with him! It was so clear and yet scary at the same time, but Tsuna wasn't going to back down from some flirting. He cleared his expression and gave a smirk towards his companion. "I could say the same for you, Reborn. I'm amazed you're not being attacked by offers and people wanting to give you their numbers. Though, I do see a few ladies eyeing you from various corners of the room."

"Hmm, well, I'm not interested in them. I'm here with you." Reborn chuckled in amusement, finding this entire interaction amusing. It was actually nice to have a decent conversation with someone without any thought of keeping up barriers. It made him more relaxed in a way. "Now, come on, let's drink. We have all night to talk with each other."

"That's true." Tsuna raised his glass, watching as the older male did the same, and clicked their drinks together gently. The ice within the glass jiggled, and he smiled at his so-called companion, wondering how the night would go.

* * *

Tsuna opened his eyes groggily, fluttering them carefully as he felt a painful headache begin to grow on him upon awakening. He grumbled loudly under his breath and snapped his eyes shut almost instantly. The sunlight that was coming through his windows was too bright for his sudden sensitivity, _way_ too bright. He squirmed in his bed, wondering what had happened at the bar last night. Tsuna clearly remembered drinking with Reborn and then after that, it had all gone blank. He couldn't have been kidnapped, this was his bed. He knew his bed anywhere, but that meant he must have made it home one way or another. Tsuna squeezed his eyes shut tighter as he felt the headache pounding within the very edge of his skull and reached up with his right hand to massage the section. Except, his fingers brushed up against something warm. Tsuna snapped his eyes open, ignoring the pain and spun around in bed to see who that was.

'O-Oh, shit…' Tsuna cursed vividly in his mind, swallowing thickly when he spotted the person beside him. It was with that one movement that he realized that his lower half was throbbing, a good sort of throb that he recognized after a wonderful night of fun. He had slept with someone, a male obviously considering his ass was the thing that was aching, and no doubt had a great time he couldn't even remember. There were various bite marks on his skin and some bruises on his shoulders that he could see out the corner of his eyes. He was certain there were more that his vision couldn't make out. His lips were dry and his throat was sore, but it was clear what had happened during the night. The only problem was _who_ he had slept with. Tsuna bit down on his bottom lip, almost enough to draw blood, and peered down at the individual before his eyes. 'Reborn…'

It was the hitman. He had _slept_ with the number one hitman, Reborn. Said man was currently cuddled peacefully in his bed, completely out, with the strong smell of alcohol still on his breath. The sheets were hanging off his bare shoulders, revealing smooth skin almost teasingly. Tsuna almost wanted to hit himself across the forehead at his stupidity. It was worse that they were at _his_ place, in _his_ bed. He had brought over someone that could easily be an enemy and left himself in the most vulnerable position.

'What to do? What to do?' Tsuna frantically looked around his room in hopes of finding a solution, ignoring the pain that sprung from the movement, but nothing came to mind except more panic. What was he supposed to do anyway? 'I'm such an idiot, dammit!'

It was at that thought he saw Reborn beginning to stir, a small mutter of words that couldn't be identified under his breath.

'Really an idiot.'


	6. Chapter 6

Reborn groaned at the pounding headache he woke up to, cursing softly under his breath as he tried to bury his face into the pillow. From the way he was feeling-one he knew all too well-he had accidentally overdone it. 'Shit… why did I have to drink so much?' As he thought that, a small flash of a brunet entered his mind. 'Ah, that's why.' He had enjoyed his short moment with Tsuna; gradually lightening up as the conversation went on and he'd even found himself letting down his own defenses. Reborn licked his lips, tasting something he couldn't recognize. As he rolled around in bed, he ran a hand through his hair, wondering for a brief moment what had happened after that. 'No good, I can't remember anything.' All his memory retained was the two of them drinking and having a great time, and then it all went blank as the alcohol had settled into his veins.

"U-Umm…"

A small voice snapped his attention towards the person beside him. Reborn blinked. "Tsuna?" It didn't take much to recognize what must have happened after everything went blank. The obvious bite marks decorating the other's pale skin and the bruised lips that mirrored his own, were tell enough. Had he really been drunk enough to sleep with the person he was interested in? He sat up, ignoring the pounding of his head and stared at the other individual beside him. "I take it we had more fun than was expected?"

At his voice and small show of humor, Tsuna smiled and shook his head. "If you're saying that we actually managed to sleep together then I think so."

Reborn chuckled, keeping his calm and slipped back into the cool sheets. The top layers were sliding off his form, but it didn't matter all that much to him, not after what had happened already. He closed his eyes for a moment, trying to will away his headache, but it wasn't working as well as he had hoped. "And to think we were really just there to enjoy each other's company," He ran a hand over his forehead, massaging it forcefully in order to calm his pain. "Funny how things turn out. Still, that doesn't mean we shouldn't take advantage of it."

At that, Tsuna tilted his head curiously. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that we can do this more often," Reborn snapped his eyes open to peer at the other with his signature smirk, watching in delight as Tsuna had a small tint of red decorating his cheeks. "Of course, if you can't resist me that is."

The brunet's face only darkened further and he covered it in response, immediately rolling out of bed in hopes of saving himself from further humiliation. Tsuna ignored the aches and throbbing down below and rushed off into the bathroom, slamming the door behind him. He could hear Reborn's chuckles of amusement, knowing that the other was clearly entertained by his reaction. Letting out a heavy sigh, the mafia boss immediately turned on the shower in hopes of drowning out everything and giving himself a chance to fix his mask.

He had heard through many that Reborn was a seducer, that both men and woman fell at his feet in hopes of at least getting a glance. Tsuna could tell exactly why once he found those affections turned towards him. There was no doubt that the other was good and most definitely used to advancing on others like they were prey, even to those that were his informant or assassination targets. The brunet cursed softly, he would now have to be extremely careful to not get caught by the hitman. Any mistake could give him away and Reborn was well-known as one of the smartest men around.

It would no doubt become one of his toughest challenges yet and probably one that could easily go downhill within moments. He would need a plan to get around this, a very good plan. Tsuna bit down on his bottom lip before finally sighing heavily as he came up with nothing. Reborn wasn't one he could just fight against, mentally or physically. How he wished his guardians were here to help him out, but he knew that wasn't possible. And it was probably a bad idea, too. They weren't exactly a controlled force after all. They would probably make it worse.

'Well...' Tsuna huffed. 'Guess I better go along with it... I just hope he doesn't find anything in my place to prove I'm Vongola Decimo.'

* * *

Outside the bathroom, Reborn smirked as the memory of the brunet's flushed expression flashed through his mind, enjoying the delight of such a sight. It was amusing, very amusing. And cute, too. Shaking his head, Reborn quickly set about to gather his clothes, observing the room now that he was at a different height. Everything looked so different now that he was looking down instead of the opposite. Pulling his clothes on, he organized everything neatly and straightened his fedora to make it sit perfectly upon his head with his hair tucked underneath.

Smirking as he glanced into the mirror, he nodded. "Perfect as usual." Now he only had to wait for Tsuna to slip out of the bathroom and by the sounds of the shower going on, it wasn't going to happen anytime soon. Still, he was tempted to actually sneak into the bathroom and mess with the brunet. Perhaps get another round? It was too bad he didn't remember anything of last night. He wished he had. He had no doubt felt that it must have been a great time, considering he could still feel the after ache of his muscles.

Huffing in disappointment, he glanced towards the bedroom door and made his way out, wanting to see if he could explore the place further than when he was a child. With his new height, he could reach and see things he couldn't before and with Tsuna currently occupied, he knew he wouldn't be bothered for at least twenty minutes. Smirking, he slipped towards the one room he never really bothered with when he was in his child form. It was the office and though he generally honored Tsuna's need of privacy for all he had done for him, there was a point where Reborn wouldn't allow it. He liked to know every little secret about the people he met had, nothing remained hidden from him. The hitman didn't want anything to come back and haunt him later on. Considering his lifestyle, he needed to know if the person he was planning on getting closer to would kill or betray him in the end.

Humming gently, he calculated the total amount of time he had before Tsuna would be out of the shower. He had plenty of time, more than enough to uncover whatever he needed. As he slipped through the various locks on Tsuna's office door, he chuckled at how simple they were. Despite them being tougher than the usual ones on the market (and a few he didn't recognize at all), they were nothing when faced with his professional skills. This was child's play, literally, and within seconds, they were all undone. The door clicked as the main lock was finally undone and he swung the frame open slightly. His eyes peeked inside, observing the area for anything that might look out of place or for any cameras. Nothing. Slipping inside the room, he left the door slightly ajar so that he could hear any oddities outside. There would be no one else coming in and if someone did, he would hear and be prepared to cover his situation.

Sliding around the desk, he gave a small curse under his breath as he eyed the various locks that adorned the drawer, knowing that this was just wasting time, and began picking them apart within seconds. As he opened the drawers, Reborn took a moment to glance over the top of the desk curiously, wondering what exactly Tsuna had been doing in these quarters. It was strange, but he could tell that it was some sort of business transaction between multiple companies. The types of layering of the documents made that clear, but there were no identifying names he recognized and he had never been one to let something remain hidden from him. Turning his attention back to the drawer, he fingered the various forms within, curiosity getting the better of him as he glanced over the names. He picked up a few to get a closer look, narrowing his eyes as he read over the passages.

"Hmm? Are these?" _Vongola_. They were forms from Vongola. Vongola, of all places. Reborn 'tched' as he shuffled through the rest of the sheets before moving onto another drawer, looks like Tsuna belonged to the strongest mafia in the world. He hadn't expected that honestly, but he should have seen it coming. No one would have this much money and such a luxurious manor bogged down with such heavy security otherwise. It just wasn't possible and those suits Tsuna wore were almost as expensive as his own. However, being in Vongola didn't bother him much, he knew how to face those men down and it wouldn't be the first time. A small little detail he really needed to know was how high up this little brunet was. "What is your rank, Tsuna..."

He continued to go through the various drawers, searching out for something that would give him a clue. Reborn was tempted for a moment to turn on the computer to see if he had any better luck. That was until he found one that stated the obvious at the very bottom, the very signature he had only seen twice.

" _Vongola Decimo_."

Reborn ground his teeth together and hissed. "Well, shit."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kinda short and I know it was somewhat quick to the main meeting. I was hoping to prolong this into more chapters in-between, but I really needed to start finishing up stories before I move onto another series.


	7. Chapter 7

_Reborn ground his teeth together and hissed. "Well, shit."_

The hitman didn't know exactly what to do as he continued to stare at the papers, tensely shifting through the sheets in the hope of finding something that would disprove what he'd just read; that these were just fakes. Of course, he couldn't prove such a thing but neither could he ignore it. He was too familiar with these types of papers and easily identified the signatures as authentic, not forged. There was also the sky flame signature that was unique only to Vongola Decimo, one he had seen on the invitation to the assassin meeting. All in all, there was nothing he could do to negate the details he was seeing. Cursing silently, he stuffed everything back into the desk and sighed as he tried to think of his next move. He was in Vongola territory, a dangerous area considering this group's reputation. Though it had lightened up since Decimo's reign, he didn't want to take any chances in having himself destroyed because of something he did by accident. That was normally how the best fell in the mafia world.

Tsuna as Vongola Decimo…

Reborn raised a hand to rub his forehead before slicking his hair back, making sure to keep his fedora stable on his head. He honestly didn't know what to do now. He didn't really have a plan to act on or even form. Everything had gone down the drain when he had found out about that tiny little detail. Closing his eyes, he thought back. Tsuna knew who he was, no doubt about that, but _he_ hadn't known. Reborn snapped his eyes open at that thought. Tsuna hadn't known about him and hadn't shown any hidden motives about using him. If anything, he had been surprised by his appearance in the bar, something he hadn't expected.

'Of course, since Reborn is supposed to be in Italy or on a job.' Reborn hummed as his thoughts quickly began to form, confident that Tsuna hadn't really planned anything against him. Everything had simply been chance or as much as one can be. However, that didn't say anything about the future. Tsuna could easily be planning something while in the bathroom, unseen by anyone. It wouldn't be hard or suspicious either. 'Well, the best thing to do is confront him…'

Easier said than done.

* * *

Reborn wasn't entirely sure what to do even after all this plotting, but at this point, it was best to wing it. If he was correct from their interactions and rumors Vongola Decimo wasn't exactly a bad person, not like other Mafia bosses. He was more kind and forgiving in nature, something Reborn was hoping to make use of. It was really his only good chance to get things done. There was also the choice to leave and never come back, but eventually, sometime in the future they would meet up again, especially after the meeting for assassins to become Decimo's personal hitman. It wouldn't end well and he had a strong feeling that Tsuna would actually come after him one way or another to get a reason. So he was going to confront him, get things out in the open so it would be done and over with.

"So…" Reborn glanced towards the brunet before him, the younger male wandering about the bedroom after just getting out of the bathroom. Tsuna had some clothes on; pants and a button up shirt with a towel wrapped around his neck to catch the dripping droplets of water from his hair. The mafia boss paused what he was doing when he caught Reborn speaking, his hands on the drawers where the rest of his clothes were located, and peered up curiously at the hitman. He didn't speak, allowing the other to form his thoughts and conversation. Finally, Reborn spoke, "Vongola Decimo."

The brunet froze on the his spot, eyes widening just slightly. The hitman had to remark on the other's ability to remain unhinged at what he had just heard. "What?"

"Vongola Decimo," Reborn repeated, keeping his voice calm. "You should learn to keep your secret documents containing alliances and names of your guardians better hidden. It wasn't hard to figure out what was going on from that."

Tsuna didn't say anything, merely taking a step back defensively as if expecting the other to strike. He hadn't thought he would be caught so soon and like _this_. Standing before him was Reborn, the number one hitman in the world. A fight between the two of them might very well lead to his death. Here in Japan, he had no real back up besides Hibari who was more than an hour away. He was all alone with Reborn and his chances of survival had diminished to the single digits almost instantly. 'Damn…' He bit down on his bottom lip and remained rigid, keeping up appearances of a boss despite being surprised. He needed to know the next bit first - what Reborn was planning on doing with his identity. "And… what do you plan on doing with this information? Sell me out?"

Reborn tilted his head, the edges of the fedora covering his eyes. "What will I do…? Well, I wasn't expecting this little situation, though I might have had a few odd feelings about you." He shifted from the real question, wanting to leave the Vongola boss to squirm just a little longer. "Though, I can assure you, I have no plans on killing you or selling you out if that's what you're wondering about." No relaxation was evident in Tsuna's form and Reborn didn't mind, he wouldn't trust his words either in this type of situation. It just made the younger male more delightful.

"Then what _do_ you plan on doing with me?"

Ah, there was the question. Reborn watched as the brunet narrowed his honey-colored eyes at him and smirked. "Nothing really." At the curious raise of an eyebrow, the hitman continued, "I'm not stupid enough to get on Vongola's bad side, not unless I have a death wish. No, nothing much. I'm still interested in you though, have been for a while. To think that the person who had helped me would turn out to be the person that ran most of the Underground world."

The Vongola boss raised the second eyebrow to join the other at those last words, trying to figure out what they meant. Curiosity slowly began to settle within his mind, pushing back the danger. It wasn't hard considering the conversation flow and he stepped around the room guardedly for a better angle. As he shifted away from his drawer, Tsuna went closer to the hitman, his hyper intuition continuously telling him that Reborn really was not there to harm him. He trusted that little voice of his, but that didn't stop his cautiousness and he continued to ponder over those words. It was odd after all. He had saved Reborn? How and when? It must have been recent, but he couldn't remember the last time he actually met the hitman except for that assassin meeting. Tsuna glanced to the side, still keeping an eye out, as he continued to think over the words before it _finally_ clicked. The child… The child that had looked too close to Reborn's adult features to just be a mere coincidence. They had the same dress pattern, held the very same fedora, the same curly side burns, and those sharp dark eyes. "Impossible…"

"It's not impossible," Reborn smirked, already knowing what the other was thinking about. "Not when there are dying will flames and magical weapons in this world."

Tsuna huffed. "Don't go reading my mind now," He shook his head, trying to gain control of this conversation. "Was this all a trick to get to me?"

"I didn't know that Vongola Decimo's true identity was that of Sawada Tsunayoshi." Answering honestly, he watched as the brunet hummed in response. That hyper intuition was annoying at times and he knew from the rumors that Tsuna could discern what a lie was and what wasn't. It was handy as long as it wasn't used against him.

"Then how did I end up finding you?"

"Not sure. I had been on a job when you found me."

Tsuna almost wanted to sigh, finding this conversation now leading him nowhere. Reborn wasn't going to spill the details. He could probably get rocks to milk water sooner than he could get the hitman to reveal his secrets. "Well, answer me one thing. How exactly do you transform from a child to an adult and back?"

"Guess I could tell you," Reborn smirked arrogantly. "Part of being an Arcobaleno. We all hold that power, but we normally keep it a secret. It's not as if we exactly enjoy being children anyway so it's never really used."

"But you find it more advantageous to go in as a child so that you can slip around unnoticed. Not bad."

"It seems you're smarter than the other Arcobaleno. They don't like the other forms, finding it embarrassing. The idiots. Now, that doesn't mean that I don't, but I know an advantage when I see one," Reborn chuckled as he watched the mafia boss shifting closer, losing some of the suspicion in the eyes. It wasn't smart, but he could tell Tsuna knew better. At least here, he could use everything to his advantage and there was one thing he really wanted at this moment besides Tsuna himself. "Now then, I know you have a question you've been _dying_ to ask me." He chuckled when he spotted the brunet pouting, folding his arms against his chest.

The brunet huffed, finding it difficult to keep up with Reborn. He could already tell that the raven was figuring out every little bit of conversation to play out, plotting the lines and responses. Still, Reborn was right. There was one question he wanted to ask. It wasn't one he had expected, but with the circumstances, it was appropriate. He smirked, finding the confidence to fight back against the hitman despite the revealing of his identity. "You're a tricky one, no doubt about that. Do you want to be my personal hitman?"

"Oh?" Reborn feigned surprise, still appearing arrogant as he did so.

"Don't do that," Tsuna shook his head. "Considering the situation, the best way to keep my identity a secret is to employ you. There's also the fact that among the other assassins that were invited, you are one of the few that don't have any loyalties to any other group. It's ideal. You're least likely to betray Vongola. Only thing was getting you to agree considering you like to be a freelancer."

The hitman nodded along, approving with those reasons.

"Also, if you're as interested in me as you mentioned before, this is your best chance to get closer."

At that, Reborn smirked. He _was_ interested. Sawada Tsunayoshi was a person he hadn't met in a long time, a rare being among the rest of humanity. It would kill some boredom in the meantime and he had been bored. The jobs weren't as interesting as they used to be and having a more permanent place to stay was always nice. And he only settled for the best.

Tsuna strode nearer, stopping an inch away from the older male. He had a smile on his face, looking quite confident about Reborn's answer. "So what do you say, Reborn?"

The hitman chuckled. "I think my answer is obvious, _Boss_."

Vongola Decimo tilted his head and then shook it. "You know, hearing that from you just sounds odd. Just call me Tsuna privately and Decimo in public. Does that sound better?"

"Acceptable. I can work with that. I wouldn't want to work with someone that's too full of himself."

Tsuna hummed, letting out a small laugh. "Now… to tell my guardians that I've managed to get the number one hitman on our side without freaking them out."

"I can think of a few ways." Reborn smirked, flicking the edge of his fedora upward.

The brunet could only eye him in disbelief.

* * *

Gokudera grumbled under his breath as he heard his cell phone go off on top of his desk, glancing over towards the flashing screen. It had been a long day. His fellow guardians had caused massive damage to one alliance famiglia, forcing him to throw out some money for repairs and to keep their mouths shut on the subject. Then there was a fight within headquarters between Hibari, who had just returned, and Mukuro, which lead to the destruction of three quarters of the building and injuries to multiple men. It had been a pain in the ass to calm those two down and nothing he had done had been making it better. Not only that, an hour ago, he had just received report that his sister was on her way to visit. Even just the thought of her made his stomach queasy.

Sighing heavily, he reached over to lift up his phone and brightened just slightly at seeing his beloved boss's name at the top. He flipped it opened immediately. "Juudaime! How is everything going in Japan?"

"Well, that depends…" Tsuna spoke, sounding a little nervous, before he let out a startled "hey!" followed by dark chuckle that Gokudera knew didn't belong to the brunet.

"Juudaime?" Gokudera raised an eyebrow at the sudden change, concern lapping over his voice. He didn't like it, not at all.

"Ah, Hayato Gokudera, the right-hand man of Vongola Decimo," Reborn's voice spoke, sending a shiver down the silver-haired male's spine. He knew that voice; he had remembered hearing it days ago at the meeting. Gokudera mentally cursed. "From this day forward, I'll be working with you as Tsuna's personal hitman. Have a nice day."

The phone was cut off and Gokudera was only able to hear the dial tone.

" _WHAT_?"


End file.
